Japanese pop culture expert Patrick Macias takes you on a illustrated tour of astonishing people, places, and things found inside Tokyo's underground art, music, fashion, and otaku scenes.
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Here's TORIENA in March 2015, a few days after I first met her in Shibuya, and just before a gig in a nightclub on Dogenzaka hill.
TORIENA creates music using 8-bit chiptunes and co-runs the Madmilky indie record label. Armed with retro gaming sounds and visuals, she's done a few fashion collaborations with the likes of SPINNS and GYFT and has made a handful of really cool music videos with pixel artist and fellow musician m7kenji.
She's also an incredible live performer who gives 1000% while dancing up a storm and whipping a crowd into a frenzy. I don't know anyone else who combines kawaii with raw power in quite the same way. Catch in person if you can.
By now, we've done a few photo sessions and interviews together. She's always super professional and surprisingly serious, even when she's clearly been partying or is recharging (like a human Game Boy) from one.
Still in her early 20s, I expect big things (or at least lots more things) from TORIENA. If you know of someone else in Japan who is manipulating music, fashion, art, and tech quite like her, please raise your hand.
Official website: www.toriena.net
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